Run Down
by Penlym
Summary: In which Mal gets cheated in a deal, one of the crew is in trouble, and Jayne deals with feelings...stuff. Post-Miranda. #2 in the Aftermath series.


I don't own any of the characters. Please read and let me know what you think!

"Who knew Badger could get so angry?" Mal commented, as if he hadn't just jumped from a mule onto the ramp of Serenity whilst moving at over 180 km/h.

"Gee, I don't know," Simon snipped as he strode from the lab. "Maybe because you cheated him out of the deal, humiliated him in front of his men, then trashed his place on his way out."

"Well, we won't be goin' back to Persephone anytime soon, that's for sure."

"It didn't help that Jayne had to go and sleep with Badger's prize whore," Simon added.

"And a ruttin' great night it was, too," Jayne leered as he wobbily clambered to his feet. "Worth every penny." Blood trickled down his face from a hard landing, having also been on the mule, and even as he spoke his face grew pale and he swayed slightly. Simon began to do a physical examination, muttering, "Stand still."

"Doc, I've got a crew to think about." Impatience laced his tone as Mal stood to brush himself off. "The recession has not helped things, and anyway—he cheated me first."

Uncertainty caused by the outbreak of the news from Miranda had fed rebellion in the Alliance—particularly in the outer planets. It was quickly crushed, but this hadn't stopped the economy from coming to a stand-still, with no one wanting to buy things except necessities in order to save for future trouble. Times were fearful and suspicious—and certainly not optimal conditions for a battered firefly carrying fugitives and the occasional illegal cargo.

Simon grumbled something, but when Mal asked a fierce, "What?" he shook his head.

Before the captain could comment, a voice spoke: "Mother hen is out of orbit and soon the chicks will be carried to their next destination."

River descended lightly from the steps, her silent approach making the others jump.

"Quit it, Moonbrain," Jayne snapped, eying her warily. "You're givin' me a headache."

Miranda had done little to change the merc's hostile feelings towards River. He took a few steps away from her as she approached, his eyes suspicious.

"The man-called-Jayne is detrimental to her health as well," River snapped. The men looked at her in surprise. She was wearing one of her usual shapeless dresses, her hair a tangled mess hanging down to her waist. Her eyes looked tired and her cheeks were pale. She had taken over many of the flying duties under Mal's watchful eye. Although she was obviously more skilled in flying—more skilled than Mal cared to admit—it was only recently that he had "loosened the reins", so to speak. He didn't want her damaging his precious firefly, or going all crazy on him. She seemed calm, but since Miranda the crew had treated River with more caution. Who knew what could 'flip the switch'?

He must have hit his head at some point because suddenly he realised he wasn't listening and someone was talking to him. River had a frustrated look on her face. "One chick is unwell."

His brow furrowed as he stared back at her. "What's going on?"

"River…" Simon began. "Are you—

"She needs help." River tugged on Mal's sleeve. "Please."

The men exchanged confused glances, the silence mounting. The tug grew more insistent. "Please!"

"The engine's purring away like a kitty in heaven, Cap'n." Kaylee burst into the room, her usual smile lighting her features.

Mal stared at her, then something clicked. "Where's Zoe?" His tone was sharp. "She flyin'?

"She sent her off the bridge." River's speech seemed slow, as if the words were difficult to say. Mal began to storm through the ship checking all the rooms. River's voice raised and she began to speak faster. "Dark thoughts distracting. Her presence was not conducive to flying. She tries not to listen, but silent cries are hard to ignore. She sent her off the bridge. Dark thoughts…please, don't be angry, please, please…"

Zoe's bunk was empty.

"Zoe!" Mal shouted. He half-jogged to the kitchen. "Zo—oh _ta ma de_." He pulled Zoe's slumped form into an upright position at the table as Simon knelt to check her pulse. The doctor wrinkled his nose as he got a waft pf her breath. An empty glass and a bottle glinted from the table.

Jayne grabbed it, took a sniff. "It's whiskey." He turned it upside-down, giving an impressed shrug. "And empty."

Mal swore again and fetched a glass of water.

River stared in horror. Tears began to track down her cheeks as she began to chant, "She's sorry! Sorry, so, so sorry…should have paid more attention—"

Jayne swore and began to shout at her to "Shut up!"—he didn't like feeling helpless—but then she seemed to fold in on herself. She was sobbing. She shook and rocked on her heels as her hands rose to cover her ears.

"Gorram it, girl, will you shut up!" Jayne roared, but River matched him with her own cries as her inner turmoil grew. Simon glanced distractedly at River.

"Doc?" Mal demanded. A moment's hesitation, then the doctor seemed to make a decision.

"Right, she needs to go to the infirmary. Mal, Jayne?" Between them they managed to haul Zoe's body to the room. Her arms dangled limply by her sides, and River couldn't tear her eyes away, images of despair and death crashing around in her brain.

Kaylee had been standing in the doorway, her face frozen in shock. Now she made way as Jayne and Mal carried the Zoe to the lab. As Simon passed, the mechanic stopped him with a hand on his arm. "Will Zoe be alright?"

Simon's face was pale, and as he looked into Kaylee's searching eyes, he found he didn't know what to say. He cupped her cheek briefly with his right hand, drawing support from her trusting eyes. Then he spun back to follow Mal and Jayne.

The crew watched, uncomprehending, as Simon bustled about the lab.

"I'm going to need to pump her stomach." He paused as he realised a crowd had gathered in the doorway. He took advantage of the one time where he could be the boss—what man in his right mind wouldn't? "Everyone, out. Mal, you stay. I may need help."

It seemed that they had been waiting for hours. It was in fact no more than two. As Jayne, ordered by Mal, ushered the others into the cargo hold, a terrible silence fell over the group, interrupted only by River's occasional whisperings. Kaylee paced the room. Jayne settled in to do some weights.

"How can you workout at a time like this?" Kaylee cried. She brought her nails to her teeth, stopped mid-action, then allowed it to drop. "Dammit, I haven't bitten my nails since I left home for the first time."

Jayne sent her an arch look. "We've had plenty things happen since then."

"Well, that's because I've always had something to do…"

He continued to look at her.

She nodded to herself. "Right." Then she headed towards the engine room.

River's crying grated on his nerves, but Jayne suddenly felt tired, very tired. He sat down at the bottom of the steps next to the girl. He didn't want to assign the feelings roiling in his brain as worry or grief—feelings made a man weak—but he felt them all the same. He glanced over at Moonbrain. She had fallen silent, but she still rocked to and fro, shaking with tears in her eyes. Gorramit, it made him uncomfortable. Yet, what was he to do?

He distantly recalled memories of his Mama holding him when he had fallen; of his older brother hauling him up from the side of a cliff when he had clung to its edge. Half-afraid she was going to turn all-ninja on him, he hesitantly rested a hand on her shoulder. Instantly, she stilled, her muscles tense. Had he done something wrong? Dammit, he was no good at this stuff. He retracted his hand, tried to ignore the awkwardness and began to stand up again.

All of a sudden, Crazy turned and buried her face in his jumper—knit by his Mama, mind you—and for a second he froze. When he was sure she wasn't going to hold a knife to his throat, he relaxed slightly and sat back down agaian. Discomfort warred with relief that she wasn't about to kill him, or that the embrace wasn't even awkward. He would never say it, but it was almost reassuring that he wasn't the only one feeling the fear. Gorramit, hadn't they lost enough already? It was a darn sight unfair.

Her arms were wrapped around his torso, and Jayne awkwardly rested his hands on the girl's back. He weren't showin' no feelings or ought…just helpin' a friend in need. He didn't know which was worse.

Footsteps echoed down the hallway. "Gerrofme, crazy," Jayne huffed, shoving her away just as Mal entered the cargo bay. She scrambled over to the other side of the room, staring at Jayne reproachfully. He didn't look at her as Mal cleared his throat.

Shadows formed half-moons under his eyes, and his gate did not hold it's usual strut. His hair was greasy from running his hand through it too many times, and his clothes were stained and rumpled. They tried to ignore the faint smell of body odour. Well, one of them did.

"Mal, you look like crap," Jayne said unceremoniously.

"Yeah, well…" A small smile slowly spread across Mal's face. "Saving a friend can do that to a person."

They agreed, much to Jayne's chagrin, that no alcohol should be kept on the ship, at least until the worst had past. Miranda had born scars for all of them, but for Zoe most of all. The next day, they sat around the kitchen table, bearing mugs of coffee to whisk the worry and tiredness away. Zoe was confined to her bunk, and routine checks were made to make sure she was ok. River tended to avoid that area of the ship as much as she could.

"So, what's happening with the cargo?" Jayne demanded, eager to know when his next pay was coming.

"After Badger tried to negotiate the price down, another buyer approached me offerin' far more. If we play it right, then we should be rid of the goods by the end of tomorrow," Mal explained.

"What about 'Nara?" Kaylee asked.

"She'll be waitin' for us," Mal said confidently. "We'll pick her up after the exchange."

"Does that mean, like, one o'you're 'smart' plans?"

Mal nodded.

Jayne's eyes glinted as he grinned. "I'd best go get Vera then."

Please let me know what you think :)


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